


Shadows and Stones

by maturesociopath



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-19
Updated: 2014-12-19
Packaged: 2018-03-02 04:38:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2799890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maturesociopath/pseuds/maturesociopath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve tells Bucky about waking up and all that's happened since.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shadows and Stones

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [He Gets That From Me](https://archiveofourown.org/works/443067) by [CrayolaDinosaurs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrayolaDinosaurs/pseuds/CrayolaDinosaurs). 



The sun filtered lightly through the tree as Steve sat and he almost regretted not bringing his sketch book. He smiled softly as the wind ruffled the leaves, making the shadows dance. Bucky sauntered over to Steve and watched him briefly before sliding down the cool stone to sit next to him. Steve didn’t acknowledge his presence, instead tracing lazy patterns on the ground. They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the warmth before Steve spoke.  


“It’s been seventy years since I went under… I wake up and everything’s changed… There’s so much that I don’t understand anymore and so much that I missed. Coney Island is still there but it’s gotten so big! I contemplated riding the Cyclone but I couldn’t bring myself to do it, not without you there at least. Our apartment building is gone and so is that really good pizza parlor. The cemetery is still there though, just a lot bigger. I went to visit Mom and Dad and it took a long time to find them…” Steve broke off and closed his eyes.  


“It’s hard waking up, on the nights that I do sleep. Everyone I knew is either dead or twice as old as I am… Fury gave me access to the Commando’s files for closure I guess… Dungan is in Kentucky of all places, in some senior home. I don’t think he’ll last much longer though. Morita and Falsworth both died young, fighting in the war…Dernier went back to France after the Commando’s disbanded and then disappeared. Jones married Peggy- Agent Carter- and lived a good life. He died last year…” He sighed and looked up at the light playing though the leaves for a moment before he continued.  


“I go see her- Peggy- sometimes. She’s… most of the time she’s there but sometimes… sometimes she forgets. And then she sees me again and it’s the first time all over again… It gets harder every time because there’s always less and less of her there… I don’t know how much longer I can keep visiting her… Everyone’s gone, Buck. Everything’s different now… there’s so much more to this world, more than you could ever imagine, and it’s overwhelming sometimes…” Bucky smiled sadly and bumped Steve’s shoulder with his own. They sat, leaning against one another, drawing strength from the familiarity. Steve drew in a deep breath before he resumed talking.  


“I saved the world and defeated Hydra…again. Those were separate events by the way, though I suppose by stopping Hydra the second time I save the world too, so I guess that puts me at three times… I met a would-be god, Thor, who’s actually an alien, and his brother, Loki, the Trickster. I didn’t much care for Loki- he tried to destroy the world starting with Manhattan- but Thor proved his loyalty. He’s an interesting character, Thor. The customs on his planet, Asgard, are very different from here, so he’s kind of in the same boat I am. I think you’d get along with him…”  


“I made an unlikely friend in an ex-KGB agent who helped me after Fury was shot. She was part of the Avengers. We worked together before but I think we’re really friends now. You might have trained her when you were… you might have trained her. Her name is Natasha Romanoff but I didn’t look after she released all her covers so I have no idea what it would have been for you… I’m also pretty sure she’s... “fonduing”… the archer, Hawkeye but neither have confirmed it… Oh right… you weren’t there for that, that was Peggy and Howard…really it’s just cheese and wine but I thought it was… something else…”  


Bucky laughed and made to speak but Steve waved him off. “Yes, I know you think I’m a prude- they use that now instead of bluenose- but I was never good at talking to dames like you were. I think we both know why, after everything we’ve been through…” Steve sighed and trailed off.  


The silence stretched on between them as Bucky watched Steve carefully. Steve smiled ruefully and ran a hand through his hair. “I met Howard’s son, Tony. I think you’d like him. He got a lot of Howard’s good traits, like his genius intellect- I mean he went to MIT at 15 and graduated with advanced degrees in physics and engineering at 17 for goodness sake- but he also got some of Howard’s worse ones. He’s the most egotistical, arrogant, and prideful man I’ve ever met, worse than Howard I think.” Steve fiddled with the seam of his pants as Bucky pulled his legs up and crossed them in front of him.  


“He’s almost never serious about anything and he makes the most inappropriate jokes all the time- remind me to tell you the story about Banner and the Lemurian Star later- but he knows when he needs to be serious. He’s never on time for anything, unless it’s really important, and almost never does what he’s told.”  


Bucky eyed Steve warily and Steve laughed. “I know, sounds like an asshole, right? But he’s also caring- though he doesn’t really show that outright- brave- though he usually tries to get around the problem first- and extremely generous. He’s also weirdly self-less, for being so arrogant. He’s brilliant. He has this way of talking and you just have to listen; he commands the attention of everyone in the room. He…” The words died in Steve's throat as he caught the way Bucky eyed him knowingly.  


He chuckled. “Yeah, you always did have a way of seeing things without me telling you. I suppose I am a bit obvious. It’s just… I really like him. Not as much as I love you, but… and he’s good to me, he really is.” Steve’s face fell as he turned to look at Bucky.  


“I miss you, Buck. Nothing’s the same without you here.” He sighed, scrubbed a hand over his face and stood, watching as Bucky stood and smiled apologetically at him. Steve turned to survey the cold stone he had been using as a back rest. The dark marble seemed to taunt him and the engraved letters flaunted his failures.  


**James Buchanan Barnes  
**

**Sgt. 107th US Army  
**

**World War II  
**

**1917- 1945  
**

He traced his fingers lightly over the name, relishing the roughness. “I swear Bucky. I will find you and I will bring you back. I promise. Because I’m with you ‘til the end of the line.”


End file.
